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The Interview That'll Bag A Job

By Sarah E. Needleman, printed in The Wall Street Journal

In recent weeks, recruiters for Consolidated Container Co. have seen job
candidates arrive up to an hour early for interviews. Other candidates have
alluded to financial hardships while in the hot seat, and one person even
distributed bound copies of documents describing projects he completed for
past employers.

These sorts of tactics aren't exactly winners.

In today's ultracompetitive job market, even getting an interview is a
feat. Yet recruiters and hiring managers say many unemployed candidates blow
the opportunity by appearing desperate or bitter about their situations --
often without realizing it.

"People are becoming a lot more aggressive," says Julie Loubaton,
director of recruiting and talent management for Atlanta-based Consolidated
Container. "They often wind up hurting themselves."

At an interview, you want to stand out for the right reasons. To do so,
you'll need to leave your baggage and anxiety at the door. For starters,
wait until 10 minutes before your scheduled interview time to announce
yourself. Arriving any sooner "shows that you're not respectful of the time
the hiring manager put aside for you," says Ms. Loubaton, adding that a
candidate who arrived an hour early made workers uncomfortable. "Companies
really don't want someone camped out in their lobby."

Signal confidence by offering a firm handshake, adds Wendy Alfus Rothman,
president of Wenroth Consulting Inc., an executive coaching firm in New
York. Focus your attention on the interviewer. Avoid looking around the
room, tapping your fingers, or other nervous movements.

No matter how you're feeling, keep your personal woes out of the
interview process, asserts Ms. Alfus Rothman. Instead, always exude an
upbeat attitude. For example, if you were laid off, instead of lamenting the
situation, you might say the experience prompted you to reassess your
skills, and that's what led you here. "You want to demonstrate resilience in
the face of unpredictable obstacles," she says.

Meanwhile, show you've done your homework on the company by explaining
how your background and track record relates to its current needs, adds
Deborah Markus, founder of Columbus Advisors LLC, an executive-search firm
in New York. This is particularly important if the firm is in a different
industry than the one you worked in before. To stand out, you'll need to
look up more than just basics on company leadership and core businesses.
You'll also need to find out -- and understand -- how recent changes in the
marketplace have affected the firm, its competitors and industry overall.
Read recent company press releases, annual reports, media coverage and
industry blogs, and consult with trusted members of your network. "Companies
that may have been performing well just a few months ago might be in
survival mode now," says Ms. Markus. "You want to understand how [they're]
positioned today."

Also, be sure to show you're a strong fit for the particular position
you're seeking, adds Kathy Marsico, senior vice president of human resources
at PDI Inc., a Saddle River, N.J., provider of sales and marketing services
for pharmaceutical companies. Offer examples of past accomplishments -- not
just responsibilities you've held -- and describe how they're relevant to
the opportunity. "You must differentiate yourself like never before," she
says. "You need to customize yourself and make yourself memorable."

Sherry R. Brickman, a partner at executive-search firm Martin Partners
LLC, says a candidate recently impressed her with this sort of preparation.
"He knew the company's product line and what markets it was already in," she
says of the man, who was interviewing for an executive post at a midsize
industrial manufacturer. "He clearly and effectively explained how he could
cut costs, increase sales and expand market share based on what he'd done in
his current job." The candidate was hired.

Be careful not to go too far, though, in your quest to stand out. For
example, it may be tempting to offer to work temporarily for free or to take
a lesser salary than what a job pays. But experts say such bold moves often
backfire on candidates. "Employers want value," says Lee Miller, author of
"Get More Money on Your Next Job ... In Any Economy." "They don't want
cheap."

Your best bet is to wait until you're extended a job offer before talking
pay. "In a recession, employers are going to be very price sensitive," says
Mr. Miller. "The salary you ask for may impact their decision to move
forward." Come prepared having researched the average pay range for a
position in case you're pressured to name your price, he adds. You might
say, for example, that money isn't a primary concern for you and that you're
just looking for something fair, suggests Mr. Miller. You can try turning
the tables by asking interviewers what the company has budgeted for the
position.

In some cases, you may be looking just for a job to get you through so
you might consider a less-than-perfect fit. But if you aren't really excited
about an opportunity, keep it to yourself, warns David Gaspin, director of
human resources at 5W Public Relations in New York. "I've had times where
people come in and it's clear that if they really had their preference,
they'd be doing something different," he says. "You don't want to put that
out on the table. Nobody wants to hire someone who's going to run for the
door when times get better."

After an interview, take caution with your follow-up. If you're in the
running for multiple jobs at once, make sure to address thank-yous to the
right people, career experts advise. Also look closely for spelling and
grammatical errors. In a competitive job market, employers have the luxury
of choice, and even a minor faux pas can hurt your chances.

If all has gone well, don't stalk the interviewer. Wait at least a week
before checking on your candidacy, adds Jose Tamez, managing partner at
Austin-Michael LP, an executive-search firm in Golden, Colo. Call recruiters
only at their office, even if their business card lists a home or cell
number. Leave a message if you get voicemail. These days, recruiters
typically have caller ID and can tell if you've tried reaching them multiple
times without leaving a voicemail. "There's a fine line between enthusiasm
and overenthusiasm," he says.